Internet Archaeology 7. Terras. A Virtual Tomb for Kelvingrove: The Completed Model

10.2 The completed VRML model

To view the completed model of Sen-nedjem's tomb you will need a browser that supports VRML (Netscape recommended), and have installed the CosmoPlayer 2.1 Plugin. This can be obtained from Silicon Graphics if you are using Irix or from Silicon Graphics' CosmoSoftware arm or Platinum if you are using Windows or Mac. It may be quicker and easier to download from Netscape Plugins. Note that Silicon Graphics are no longer developing VRML and Cosmo software, and so it may be difficult for you to get the download either from their site, or even, in future, from Netscape. There are, however, plenty of individuals on the web who have a copy of CosmoPlayer 2.1 on their websites for download.

If you cannot find the plugin, there is a copy of CosmoPlayer 2.1 for Windows 95/98 available from here (3,235 KB).

Internet Explorer Users: Microsoft products did not initially support VRML at all (they had set up their own and totally different alternative called Liquid Motion), so early IE browsers will not run the model. However, later versions of Internet Explorer (4 onwards) now have their own VRML-supported viewer (see http://www.microsoft.com/VRML/default.htm) but also support the Cosmo plugin, so the model should still work. However functionality using either may still be erratic. Ultimately the model will work best with Netscape.

Follow these instructions to view the model:

Ensure you have CosmoPlayer 2.1 installed.
Click on one of the links below to download a version of the model (the full model is 20 MB, the smaller version 1.5 MB).
Wait for the model to render fully. This may take five minutes or more in order for all the images files to download. You can tell when the model is completed when the Netscape symbol in the top right of the browser stops revolving, or the stop button is dimmed.
On the bottom left of the Cosmo navigation bar there is a viewpoint list. Click the downward pointing green arrow to show the other viewing options. Select the 'start animation' option by clicking on it.
The animation will start.
N.B. When you reach the inner tomb door you will need to click it to open the door to the painted chamber.
Use the tools on the toolbar to navigate yourself around the room.
You can navigate around the model without using the pre-programmed animation.
If you want the animation to start again, select 'start animation' in the viewpoint list again.

Many users experienced problems with the tools provided by CosmoPlayer: it can be quite difficult to navigate around a scene. If you have problems please don't be disheartened, it's all part of the experience provided by the model and system.

Choose a model from these below:

The complete model (20 MB)
The model without inner tomb images (1.5 MB)

WARNING! Depending on your computer, the models may take a long time to download (you will require 16Mb of RAM although it may be possible to get by with 8Mb). Pentium or PowerPC class machines and 3D graphics cards are recommended. To improve the response speed, try making the VRML browser's window smaller.

Editor's Note: A clickable interface to access the individual wrl files has been created. This may be of use if you do not have lots of memory. Although VRML plugins other than Cosmo do not load the full model, a few have been successful in loading and running these individual files.